JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Jan. 11, 2005) - East Tennessee State University cross country and track and field assistant coach Michelle Byrne announced that Ali Carney (Sevierville, Tenn.) will compete for the Buccaneer squad beginning in the 2005 indoor season.

"Ali will be a tremendous addition to our developing core of middle distance runners," stated Byrne. "She is an extremely dedicated student-athlete with a tremendous work ethic and will have much success as a Buccaneer."

Carney graduated from Sevierville high school in the fall of 2004 and was a four-year letterwinner in cross country and two-year letterwinner in track and field. In her sophomore season, she placed second in the cross country county meet. In track and field she was county champion in the 800 meters and a member of the county championship-winning 4 X 800 relay team. During that year Carney helped her 4 X 800 relay team record a new record for her high school in the event. During her junior season, she captained her cross country team and finished third in regionals to advance her to the state meet where she achieved a top 40 finish. Based on her performance Carney was named to the 2003 Knoxville News Sentinel Cross Country Second Team. In 2004, Carney qualified for her second state meet with a seventh-place regional finish. Carney was 20th at state and was tabbed third on the Knoxville News Sentinel Prep X-tra Team.

In addition to track and field and cross country, Carney was also involved in the school's ski club and was actively involved in her high school participating in a wide variety of activities including the Beta club, Interact, and Students Against Drunk Driving. She also holds several academic accomplishments having earned a 4.0 and being named to the All A's Honor Roll for the past three years.